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Bali is a haven for photography enthusiasts, filled with personal and touching memories of a journey. This tropical island has a great collection of landscapes, seascapes and iconic landmarks that easily make it to valued frames and albums. The monsoonal climate also offers snappers the great opportunities year-round with blue skies mid-year and dramatic cloud-streaked scarlet sunsets in between.

Stunning photo opportunities in and around Bali include famous spots such as the iconic sea temple of Tanah Lot and the flowing rice terraces of the island’s mid-west. Most panoramas are also provided by the island’s natural features as is the likes of the Kintamani highlands with its scenic volcano caldera lake and the Campuhan ridge in Ubud. Discover these idyllic backdrops with this compilation of the best picture-postcard spots in Bali and its surrounding areas.

A must-visit and must-shoot for travellers to Bali, the Tanah Lot sea temple is unmistakably Balinese, and is as impressive during the daytime as it is at sunset. The sunsets and panoramic views are one thing, while the many cultural offerings add much more to your temple shots. Pilgrimages and parades of devotees during the temple’s anniversary add even more stunning feature to the exotic background.

Where to Shoot: Don’t be tempted to go too near the rocks as the crashing waves pose a great hazard. However, low tides allow for a striking foreground. Almost anywhere along the cliff offers great vantage points and this also counts the cluster of bars and restaurants where you can sink down on a cold one while waiting for the perfect moment to shoot. Read More...

A flowing sea of green, the Jatiluwih rice terraces in the verdant rice-producing Tabanan regency offer panoramas like no other. Paddies extend along the slopes of Mount Batukaru and down as far as the eyes can see over the village of Wangaya. You will find the largest and most picturesque expanse of paddies in Bali and perhaps the whole of Indonesia here. Lush green views will already come into view upon approaching the region.

Where to Shoot: One of the best spots to enjoy the view and take your snaps also happens to be a locally run restaurant where you can sip a hot cup of Bali coffee while admiring the view as you plan your next frames. Read More...

Another of Bali’s most iconic temple landmarks is Ulun Danu Beratan, on par with the exotic appeal of Tanah Lot, but on a lakeside up in the central highlands. At high tide, the smooth reflective surface immerses the base around the temple creating the overall dramatic illusion of a floating temple. Occasional thick mists descend from the nearby hills, adding to the magical scene.

Where to Shoot: While the main attraction and most photographed subject is the lakeside mini temple complex, the name Ulun Danu Beratan temple also applies to the larger complex on drier grounds. You can get closer to the floating temple at low tide, while paved footpaths make easy spots for setting up tripods at high tide. Read More...

Jimbaran Bay with its main stretch of sand, known locally as Muaya Beach, is one of Bali’s gorgeous and most accessible seascapes. It also features numerous dining spots, including Four Season’s Sundara, the local collection of seafood barbeque cafes and the Jimbaran Beach Club. Further south is Tegalwangi Beach where great angles can be achieved from both the base on the sand and up on the cliff. Balangan and Dreamland are also beaches worth discovering while in the area.

Where to Shoot: Angles of Jimbaran Bay are greatly achieved right down on the sand in front of the seafood cafes, where you can include the curvature of the bay into the frame. The more ‘hidden’ beaches such as Tegalwangi and Balangan are great from above their respective cliffs. Read More...

While the western coasts such as Jimbaran offer great sunsets, Amed is the scenic viewpoint in East Bali where you can enjoy the most stunning sunrises. The seascape features the curving bay lined with colourful traditional outrigger boats and the outline of Mount Agung in the immediate background. In the mornings and during certain times of the day, the fishing boats and sailing cruises speckle the seascape.

Where to Shoot: There are several hilly vantage points around the coast of Amed that provide you with the best angles over the curving bay and with Mount Agung clear in the background. However, the best spot is just several minutes south of Jemeluk Bay. Read More...

Seminyak’s main beach, Petitenget, features a wonderful stretch of white sand that is level and wide. If you’re lucky, during calmer low tides, the surf reaches far in over the flat sand, leaving a mirror-like effect to its seascape. The scene is stunning with the blue sea, sky and white clouds during the day and golden with silhouettes at dusk with the setting sun. Petitenget offers a more secluded ambiance compared to its neighbouring beaches, making it great for cleaner shots.

Where to Shoot: Go straight to the bridge between La Lucciola restaurant and Petitenget Temple, which leads you right onto the sand. From here, you only need to roam freely for your best angles. The most crowds are around sunset time, but you can frame your clear shot with ease. Read More...

One of the best spots for panoramic green valley shots up in Ubud is at the Campuhan Ridge. Getting there is a free and easy nature trek, with the majestic Gunung Lebah Temple welcoming you before the main pathways. Midway along the full nine-kilometre hill track, you can find vast views where you can easily snap away from the savannah-esque hills. Being on the peak of the ridge provides you with 360-degree possibilities for the perfect panoramic shot.

Where to Shoot: Halfway up the length of the route and facing north, the unique hilly terrain and lone palms along the track add great features to your shots. Read More...

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8

Munduk

This scenic village is remotely located, quite a distance to reach up in north Bali, but worth the prize views of its panoramic ridge that runs down from the northern edge of the Bedugul highlands. The ridge overlooks two valley sides covered with verdant rice paddies and plantations. The sun setting over the distant hills also provides magical moments to frame.

Where to Shoot: Besides scenic hill vistas that you can take from most spots, Munduk also has a waterfall that is surrounded by lush greenery, which is a frequent pre-wedding location. Don’t pass a chance for a refreshing dip in between shots.

Uluwatu Temple forms part of the collection of Bali’s sea temples set in stunning locations. From the edge of the main temple complex, sheer ocean views are topped with the outline of tiered shrines. Just south, an open amphitheatre is great for photo ops as Kecak ‘fire dances’ perform regularly as the sun sets over the horizon in the background. Grey long-tailed macaques roam freely around the complex, volunteering as photo models as well.

Where to Shoot: Great cliff shots are achieved from the temple’s wall near its exit, and you can book your seat at the amphitheatre – secure your position on a higher spot in the middle for the best angle with dancers as subject and setting sun as background. Read More...

Bali’s offshore islands of Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan south east of the mainland offer wonderful seascapes with shallow coasts and crystal clear waters. Limestone cliffs provide vantage points over these dramatic views. Lembongan, the most popular among the islands, features exotic beaches, the likes of Mushroom Bay, Jungut Batu, Crystal Bay and the aptly named Sunset Point, which provides unobstructed views over the sun setting into the ocean.

Where to Shoot: Lembongan’s Jungut Batu is a hilly area on the northwest coast where you have blue waters dotted with watercraft and traditional jukung outriggers in the foreground, and the outline of the Bali mainland with Mount Agung on the horizon. Read More...

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